Town boss Paul Jewell has confirmed that former Middlesbrough, Hull, Coventry and Aston Villa midfielder George Boateng was training with the Blues last week, as first revealed by TWTD. He says he has spoken to the 35-year-old’s agent about a possible deal but has another defensive midfield target with whom he has also held talks.

Jewell, who is keen to add a holding midfielder to his squad, said: “George wasn’t on trial with us, he was just training with us for a couple of days. I think he’s going to speak to Notts Forest, which just shows that we’re all looking at the same type of players.

“I don’t know [whether anything will happen with him]. I spoke to his agent on Monday and we are speaking to another midfield player as well. We want to have as many options as possible.”

One of this morning’s tabloids claims Town, Burnley and Derby have all targeted Nottingham Forest’s defensive midfielder Guy Moussi but that the Frenchman has decided to sign a new three-year deal at the City Ground.

Moussi, 26, could well have been the other player that Jewell was referring to, while Forest’s interest in Boateng could cool if Moussi has indeed committed his future to the club.

The Blues boss says there is nothing new on the Jason Scotland situation with Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers ruling out a move for the Trinidadian yesterday.

Jewell in any case confirmed reports yesterday indicating that Scotland had impressed him in recent weeks: “Jason Scotland has been working exceptionally hard in pre-season and has done well, both in training and in the games. We’re not looking to sell, we’re looking to bring in.”

Overall, the Town boss, who met with owner and chairman Marcus Evans at yesterday’s match, was happy with the week’s training camp in Mierlo around eight miles outside Eindhoven: “It’s a terrific place, I’ve been here four times now. The facilities are good, it’s in the middle of nowhere and the training facilities are part of the hotel.

“We’ve won two games and we’ve got a lot of fitness out of it, and that’s what pre-season basically is. The first game of the season will tell you how your pre-season has gone.”

Photo: Action Images

cressi added 13:52 - Jul 15 tractor 2434 cant say i i agree forget leicester watched Spurs v Milan white hart lane best player on the pitch by a country mile 37 yr old c seedorf if your good enough your old enough 18 or 37
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Lovetown added 13:58 - Jul 15 For the love of god he's 35!!!!!!! Bring in younger players! We've got enough players who are already on a pension!!!!! Wise up PJ! I no they come on the cheap but our first team are gunna look like they all need wheel chairs! 25+ It's not that hard!
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Lovetown added 14:03 - Jul 15 Atm we either have old players or teenagers! Were's the balance?! Apart from Chopra. He's the age we should be aiming for more! I don't wanna see another player who will retire next season signing for this club!! It will mean we'll have to start over next season! COMMON ON! Sorry for rant i do trust PJ i think he's a great manager, but I'm tired of seeing 32+ year olds signing for the club!

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Garv added 14:09 - Jul 15 Tractorboy2434, how can you call Leicester a club with 'ambition' just because they've got money to spend? Forest got to the play offs last year and I'm sure they have the ambition of doing that again, and if McClaren thinks Boateng might get them there then he can't be terrible. If you're good enough, you're young enough! The average age of our squad is 25, does that say something?

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Ryanblue4life added 14:12 - Jul 15 Did any of u moaners actually read the article??? we havent signed him yet and jewell has put bids in for other players who are probily younger.lets be realistic about this anything is better than leadbitter atleast boateng can pass forward and actually try to create. he will be able to show hyam a thing or two and will give another expirenced head to the midefielder. also jimmy bullard and this fella are good friends soooo this might help maybe to land a deal.

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CleggsClangers added 14:31 - Jul 15 Some people are never happy! The squad was not good enough last season and people were complaining. Now the new players are coming in it still isn't good enough! PJ knows what he's doing so be patient. If not perhaps take your pro licence and become the manager. Joking aside I wouldn't mind what age players are as long as we are challenging.
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tractorboy2434 added 15:09 - Jul 15 Time will tell, I have seen nothing about our midfield which tells me we can compete, we were found out at the end of last season, even with Bullard, because we have no pace, we cannot hit teams on the break, it was obvious and what have we done to address this issue, nothing, no pace anywhere on the pitch, sorry, but this team will struggle, end of.
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scottrock added 15:20 - Jul 15 KARLOS, I admire your optimism mate, but there is no way we'll get Maynard. I reckon if he does leave it will be to a Prem side. My mate who is a Bristol City season ticket holder reckons he is the bees lnees, but is worried abvout him leaving. He also rates Coppinger when he has seen him at Ashton Gate.
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Suzanna_Gekkaloys added 17:04 - Jul 15 To all those harping on about how old the average squad age is, etc.,...you f*cking ignorant pr*cks. If you're good enough, you're young enough. After all, we're not 14 playing some computer football management game here. And I think I read someone say somewhere, with a slight negative air directed at the age of some of the players we're attempting to sign, that Paul Jewell is trying to build a squad to get us promoted this season rather than build a long-term solution. Striving to get promoted in 10 months' time and encountering a potential £90m windfall not a long-term solution? Bringing in experienced 'been there, done that' players for the younger squad members to learn quickly from not a long-term solution? Come on - think people. Thankfully this is why Paul Jewell's the manager and not quite a lot of you.

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gypo added 17:09 - Jul 15 Owen hargreaves is a defensive midfielder like bowyer offer him a year with another if he does well and stays fit
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suffolkpunchdrunk added 17:11 - Jul 15 Said it already on other posts but Jonathan Spector & Nigel Reo Coker would be worth considering if their wage demands were sensible.
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Guthrum added 17:21 - Jul 15 Someone who's played virtually his entire career in the English, Dutch and Greek top flights, right up to the season just finished, no record of long-term or recurring injuries, on a free transfer, already been training here. If the wages aren't extortionate, what's not to like?
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cressi added 18:51 - Jul 15 GUTHRUM exactly better than the likes of Dyer and Woodgate injury prone thank GOD ,BUDHA,and all the other gods QPR took Dyer
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Hermann_eats_puffin added 19:46 - Jul 15 The fact is our squad hasn't been good enough to get promoted for a long time now. Therefore we need to bring in players to improve the overall squad. If he could prove his fitness and PJ believes that he shows enough desire to play for us then I'd have no problem in welcoming a player with this pedigree on board. As has been said the average age of our squad over the last few years has been relatively new and so I've now problem with adding some experience which is a strategy that didn't serve QPR too badly last season. On a more general note in the post Bosman era it's not necessarily the most financially prudent strategy to throw money at signing players in the 24-29 bracket. This is because as it proved with both McAuley & Norris plus numerous other examples all over the leagues now most of these players are mercenaries who are quite happy to run the clock down on their contracts in order to secure a nice big pay cheque & signing on fee for them and their agent once they're out of contract. Signing a player for a big fee is now a bit like buying a brand new car in that as soon as you've bought it the value starts rapidly depreciating as with players the clock is just ticking on their contract. Once their in their last year, such as Leadbitter or Fulop, if they won't sign a new contract you either have to sell them for a fraction of what you paid or if they won't agree to go they walk for free at the end of their contract. Therefore making good use of the players on a free I think makes good business sense for a club like us and if you add to that with some promising youngsters, such as Cresswell, then I think that is a good way to go.

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fourth added 19:51 - Jul 15 I agree Osbourne The man's exciting
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DiamondGezzer added 20:26 - Jul 15 I can't for the life of me see how signing George Boateng [ supposing we do ] could be a bad thing. Hermann eats puffin has got it spot on, also Suzzanna Gekkaloys and Guthrum. Up the revolution !
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tractorboy2434 added 21:01 - Jul 15 Sorry, we have no pace in the team and were found out last season, I see nothing about our midfield to change that.
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Garv added 21:08 - Jul 15 tractorboy just out of interest who would be your no.1 target TO change that?
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Handsome_Lizard added 21:37 - Jul 15 Far to old for us.
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fussysnake added 21:51 - Jul 15 not sure id want him here ( getting on now)
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michaeldownunder added 21:58 - Jul 15 There are still plenty of good players out there on free transfers or unattached, I also think that PJ with his contacts, will take on a couple of good, quick, young loan players for the season if he cannot sign who he wants on a permanent deal. I agree we need a bit of pace in the side but just remember a good pass to feet is quicker than any player can run with the ball and with Chopra and Scotland in and around the goal area that's what you need. Mind you have we got a good passer in the team?

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suffolkpunchdrunk added 22:12 - Jul 15 Talking of loan signings I agree that there will be a plethora of young fringe premiership players available this coming season and I reckon PJ can sort out a couple of good loan signings to bolster the squad - Danny Rose & Bongani Khumalo from Tottenham are the sort of players that should be available. I leave somebody else to suggest Giovani Dos Santos.
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StochesStotasBlewe added 22:41 - Jul 15 In PJ i trust. You win NOTHING with kids. Players of Boateng,s ilk have bags of experience, will help to develop the younger players like Messrs Hyam & co, have been there, done it & got the t-shirt. When the going gets tough, these players will be the ones the younger less experienced boys will look up to.
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h32 added 23:22 - Jul 15 Let's keep signing them - just hope the Club are not responsible for paying them winter fuel allowance. All on one year contracts - we then find ourselves in exactly the same position as we were at the end of last season. Enthralling, of course, and getting us nowhere fast. Oh well, said and seen all before. Now go and prove me wrong PJ - PLEASE.
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manualthetisfanclub added 23:41 - Jul 15 No more dads army members please!
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